Paterson says 48th SD fight injected itself in the budget process

Paterson mentioned in his radio town hall show with North Country Public Radio that Democrat Darrel Aubertine’s win in February injected itself in the budget process “more than it should have”, but didn’t elaborate how it did.

On upstate being “ignored”: Paterson said he came from a place that is historically ignored, Harlem, so he understands the issues that come as a result “I came here to try to reconnect a number of venues from all the way up in Massena to places are far as Montauk point. That is what I want to do, that is why I am trying to make myself personally available in these areas.”

Reforming the Empire Zone and STAR programs: Paterson talks about why he’s looking at reforming the Empire Zone and STAR programs. Paterson says the reason why he wants to look at the programs is because they aren’t working – there continues to be job loss and high taxes in spite of these programs.

Paterson recognizes that there is a challenge with the STAR program, because it is popular among voters, but he says the program needs to be examined because it hasn’t done enough to fully address the problem.

Politics: When the host turns the conversation to politics, Paterson jokes “we were doing so well”.

Why Paterson didn’t call for a special election for the Assembly seat vacated by Sen. Darrel Aubertine: Paterson claims that his administration missed the deadline because it didn’t realize there was a deadline. But he said he’d look into the issue.

The host says she had questions about post-traumatic stress disorder and Paterson jokes, “Mine, or just the issue?”

Paterson on Clinton/Obama race: Paterson says he thinks Clinton has momentum going forward and pointed out that she won in “purple areas” of the country, so he thinks she’s very much still viable. Paterson has been a Clinton supporter since early on in the race. When asked whether he had someone in mind to replace Clinton if she makes it to the White House, Paterson replied, “I haven’t thought about it.” Before he became governor, Paterson was said to have wanted to replace Clinton in the Senate.